Marker molecules associated with lung tumors

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to nucleic acids and polypeptides associated with lung cancer. The invention is more specifically related to a nucleic acids and the polypeptides transcribed thereof, the expression of which is significantly altered in association with lung cancer. The invention relates to a series of differentially spliced transcripts of the gene disclosed herein, that are associated with tumors of the respiratory tract. Furthermore the present invention provides a method for early diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of the disease course and for therapy and vaccination of cell proliferative disorders such as e.g. lung tumors.

This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/515,477, filed Nov. 19, 2004; which is a National Stage of International Application PCT/EP03/50175, filed May 16, 2003, published Nov. 27, 2003, under PCT Article 21(2) in English; which claims the priority of EP 02010275.2, filed May 21, 2002. The above-identified applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to nucleic acids and polypeptides associated with lung cancer. The invention is more specifically related to a nucleic acids and the polypeptides transcribed thereof, the expression of which is significantly altered in association with lung cancer. The invention relates to a series of differentially spliced transcripts of the gene disclosed herein, that are associated with tumors of the respiratory tract. Furthermore the present invention provides a method for early diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring of the disease course and for therapy and vaccination of cell proliferative disorders such as e.g. lung tumors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the developed countries death rates from cancer declined throughout the past decade. One exception from this decline in cancer caused death rates is lung cancer. Overall lung cancer is one of the few cancers in the world still showing increasing incidence. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men in women. Moreover the survival rate in lung cancer is poor up to now and despite the scientific and medical efforts in the field of lung cancer there was hardly any increase in the survival rate.

In lung tumors as in most other tumors, there is a strong correlation between the patients' outcome following initial therapy and the stage at which the disease has been diagnosed. So the earlier the cancer could be detected, the better are the chances for the patient to survive. Thus sensitive testing methods are required for detecting the tumors in early stages.

The most promising methods for early diagnosis of tumors are those involving molecular markers characteristic for tumor cells.

Lung cancer is a quite heterogeneous disease. Multiple regulators of the cell growth can be involved in the genesis of cancer. These regulatory elements of the cell cycle can be either positive regulators, named oncogenes when mutated, so that a transformed state is reached, or negative regulators, named tumor suppressor genes. The number of factors known to be involved in the regulation of the cell cycle and potentially being candidates for the development of cancer exceeds 100 up to know and is still increasing.

The molecules being involved in the emergence of the cancerous state of a cell can be used to discriminate between cancer cells and normal tissue. Thus cancerous tissue can be detected by detecting molecules characteristic for the cancer cells. This turns out to be sophisticated due to the large number of molecules potentially being involved in causing cancer.

For improved diagnosis of tumors, there is a need for new marker molecules for use in diagnosis of cancers and especially of lung cancer, which enable for specific early detection and give the opportunity to treat the disorders at an early stage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides nucleic acids and polypeptides associated with lung cancer. According to the present invention these molecules may be used as molecular markers that allow for comprehensive detection of cell proliferative disorders such as e.g. lung tumors even at early stages.

The present invention thus provides polypeptides and nucleic acids, the expression of which is significantly altered associated with lung tumors, which allow for enhanced prognosis and diagnosis of diseases associated with abnormalities of the growth of cells. Furthermore the nucleic acids disclosed herein comprise transcripts arising from alternative splicing of genes, that do not occur in normal tissue in the extent they may be found in tumorous tissue.

In another aspect of the invention, the nucleic acids and/or polypeptides disclosed herein alone or in combination with other molecules may be used for therapy and/or vaccination of cell proliferative disorders such as e.g. lung tumors.

Yet another aspect of the present invention are pharmaceutical compositions containing polypeptides and/or polynucleotides disclosed herein alone or combination with one or more other therapeutic or diagnostic agents and/or carrier or adjuvant substances.

The present invention also provides kits such as diagnostic kits or research kits for the detection of the polynucleotides or polypeptides disclosed herein or comprising the polynucleotides or polypeptides disclosed herein or combinations thereof.

During the experiments leading to the present invention a gene was identified, the expression of which is associated with lung tumors. The present invention furthermore is based on the inventors findings shown in Examples 1 to 6, that the level of expression of nucleic acids as well as of polypeptides transcribed from the marker gene presented herein in FIG. 1-11 in samples allows to diagnose and grade cell proliferative disorders such as e.g. lung tumors, to predict the course of the disease and to follow up the disease after initial therapy.

The present invention thus provides novel nucleic acids and polypeptides associated with lung cancer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts human LUMA1 mRNA variant 1 sequence (SEQ ID NO: 1) and the encoded LUMA1-protein isoform 1 Sequence (SEQ ID NO: 2).

FIG. 2 depicts human LUMA1 mRNA variant 2 sequence (SEQ ID NO: 3). Differential splicing of exon 7 leads to deletion of part of exon 7 which introduces a frameshift in the 3′ sequence of the splice variant. Compared to mRNA variant 1, the encoded protein in variant 2 (SEQ ID NO: 4) is shorter than the one in mRNA variant 1. The frameshift leads to a protein isoform with a different carboxy terminal sequence. In addition the complete exon can be spliced out (not shown).

FIG. 3 depicts human LUMA1 mRNA variant 3 sequence (SEQ ID NOs: 5 and 6). This variant is characterized by a 3 bp deletion and a different polyadenylation site which leads to a shorter 3′ sequence.

FIG. 4 depicts human LUMA1 mRNA variant 4 sequence (SEQ NOs: 7 and 8). This variant is characterized by a deletion of exon 3.

FIG. 5 depicts human LUMA1 mRNA variant 5 sequence (SEQ ID NOs: 9 and 10). This variant is characterized by a deletion of exon 3 and exon 4.

FIG. 6 depicts human LUMA1 mRNA variant 6 sequence (SEQ ID NOs: 11 and 12). This variant is characterized by a deletion of exon 3, 4 and 5.

FIG. 7A depicts human LUMA1 mRNA variant 7 sequence (SEQ ID NO: 13). FIG. 7B depicts protein 1 sequence (SEQ ID NO: 14). Protein 1 is encoded by an ORF located at the 5′-end of the mRNA.

FIG. 8A depicts human LUMA1 mRNA variant 8 sequence (SEQ ID NO: 15). FIG. 8B depicts protein 2 sequence (SEQ ID NO: 16). Protein 2 is encoded by an ORF beginning at base pair 2242. The open reading frame is terminated by a stop codon at bp 2863-65. This stop codon is absent in mRNA variant 9 encoding protein 3 (see FIG. 9).

FIG. 9A depicts human LUMA1 mRNA variant 9 sequence (SEQ ID NO: 17). FIG. 9B depicts protein 3 sequence (SEQ ID NO: 18). The N-terminal part of protein 3 is present in protein 2. Due to the absence of the stop codon at bp 2863-65, the open reading frame extends to bp 4290.

FIG. 10A depicts human LUMA1 mRNA variant 10 sequence (SEQ ID NO: 19). FIG. 9B depicts protein 4 sequence (SEQ ID NO: 20). Protein 4 is encoded by an ORF starting at bp 2866 due to the presence of a 5′ stop codon at bp 2863-65. Protein 3 (FIG. 9) and protein 4 do harbour a different c-terminus compared to the protein depicted in FIG. 1 because of a differential splicing at exon 8 (exon T) which extends the exon to the 5′ end leading to a frameshift.

FIG. 11 depicts genomic sequence of the human LUMA1 gene (SEQ ID NO: 21). LUMA1 exon sequences are underlined. The genomic sequence harbors LUMA1 exon 1 to exon 8. Two different splice acceptor sites are detectable at exon 3 leading to an additional codon which is indicated by (>). Exon 3 or exons 3 and 4 or exons 3, 4 and 5 are differentially spliced. In addition differential splicing of part of exon 7 has been detected. Whereas exon 3, exons 3 and 4, and exons 3, 4 and 5 deletions lead to an in frame deletion of internal LUMA1 amino acid sequences the differential splicing of part of exon 7 generates a frameshift. This frameshift generates to different carboxy terminal LUMA1 protein isoforms. The two splice acceptor sites at exon 7 are indicated by (>). In addition two different polyadenylation sites of the LUMA1 gene are indicated.

FIG. 12 depicts mouse LUMA1 mRNA sequence (SEQ ID NOs: 22 and 23).

FIG. 13 shows nucleotide sequence comparison of human (nucleotides 1 to 1160 of SEQ ID NO: 1) and mouse LUMA1 (nucleotides 28 to 1185 of SEQ ID NO: 22) mRNA. Over the entire coding sequence, a strong sequence conservation during evolution is detectable.

FIG. 14 shows nucleotide sequence comparison of human and mouse LUMA1 mRNA (nucleotides 1 to 1160 of SEQ ID NO: 1 and nucleotides 28 to 1185 of SEQ ID NO: 22). Sequence blocks which are identical in human and mouse LUMA1 are boxed.

FIG. 15 shows amino acid sequence comparison of human and mouse LUMA1 protein. Sequence blocks which are identical in human (amino acids 1 to 391 of SEQW ID NO: 2) and mouse (amino acids 8 to 392 of SEQ ID NO: 23) LUMA1 are boxed. Highly conserved peptide sequences are present indicative for a highly conserved function during evolution.

FIG. 16-20 shows detection of the expression of LUMA1 in lung adenocarcinomas (FIG. 16: NI/TI; FIG. 17: N2/T2; FIG. 18: N3/T3; FIG. 19: N4/T4; FIG. 20: N5/T5) using the real time PCR technique (ABI TaqMan 7700). For amplification of the LUMA1 gene the following primers were used: LUMA1-A: CTCGTCAGGCGACCTTATATC (SEQ ID NO: 24); LUMA1-B: TGTCAGTTGAACATTTTCTGCC (SEQ ID NO: 25). For the analysis corresponding tumor and normal samples were used.

FIG. 21 shows gel electrophoresis of the endpoint PCR of the amplification of the LUMA1 transcript in lung adenocarcinomas and corresponding normal tissue. In tumor T1 and T3 enhanced expression of LUMA1 was seen, in tumor T4 and T5 a strong overexpression of LUMA1 compared to the corresponding normal sample. The PCR products analysed on the agarose gel, were derived from the real time PCR reactions shown in FIG. 16-20.

FIG. 22 shows gel electrophoresis of the endpoint PCR of the amplification of the LUMA1 transcript in lung adenocarcinomas and corresponding normal tissue. Whereas in normal sample N1, N3 and N4 no LUMA1 transcript was detectable, in lung adenocarcinoma T1 and T3 expression of LUMA1 transcript was detected. In T4 no amplification was visible. In T2 and T5 an enhanced expression was detected. For amplification of the LUMA1 gene the following primers were used: LUMA1-C: CTCGTCAGGCGATACTCCC (SEQ ID NO: 26); LUMA1-D: CACCAGTCAGCTCTAAATGGG (SEQ ID NO: 27).

FIG. 23 shows gel electrophoresis of the endpoint PCR of the amplification of the two different LUMA1 exon 7 (exon S) transcripts in normal tissues. 11 normal tissue samples were tested for expression of the long variant of exon 7. Only in testis and liver an expression of this exon 7 splice variant has been detected. In addition, the expression of the short exon 7 splice variant could be observed in testis, liver and stomach. NTC=no template control.

FIG. 24B shows immunohistochemical analysis of lung adenocarcinoma, and FIG. 24A shows that corresponding normal tissue employing a primary antibody directed against LUMA exon 2. In the carcinoma tissue and in the corresponding normal lung tissue a cytoplasmic staining has been detected with the polyclonal antibody directed protein sequences of exon 2. No difference in the staining pattern between normal and tumor has been observed.

FIG. 25B shows immunohistochemical analysis of lung adenocarcinoma, and FIG. 25A shows the corresponding normal tissue employing a monoclonal primary antibody directed against LUMA exon 7. In the carcinoma of the presented sample a strong overexpression of the luma exon 7 (long transcript) protein isoform is detectable. The tumor cells show a cytoplasmic staining pattern. In the corresponding normal lung tissue no staining has been detected with the exon 7 specific monclonal antibody.

FIG. 26A shows immunohistochemical analysis of lung carcinoid, and FIG. 26B shows squamous cell carcinoma employing a monoclonal antibody directed against LUMA exon 7. In the carcinoid (A) and in the squamous cell carcinoma (B) a strong overexpression of the LUMA exon 7 (long transcript) protein isoform has been detected. The tumor cells show a cytoplasmic staining pattern.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect the method according to the present invention is especially useful for early detection of cell proliferative disorders such as e.g. lung tumors and for detection of disseminated tumor cells in the course of diagnosis of minimal residual disease.

In another aspect of the present invention, the nucleic acids or polypeptides disclosed herein may be used in the course of diagnosis of disorders associated with abnormal proliferation of cells in samples such as tumor resections, biopsies or the like. In this aspect the invention provides a method, which allows to build a strategy for the therapy of diseases according to their molecular properties. According to the present invention, the level of said polypeptides and/or nucleic acids can be used as a molecular marker for prognosis, monitoring and the design of a strategy of tumor therapeutics.

It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide methods for identification of molecules binding to the nucleic acids and polypeptides of the present invention as well as of activators and inhibitors of the expression of the genes of the present invention. Also a method for the identification of drug candidates for the therapy of proliferative disorders is provided.

The present invention provides tumor associated nucleic acids and polypeptides characterized by the sequences given in FIG. 1-11.

Marker molecules as used in the present invention my comprise nucleic acids and polynucleotides. On the level of nucleic acids the marker molecules may be DNA or RNA comprising genomic DNA, cDNA, and RNA such as mRNA or hnRNA. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, nucleic acids arising from particular differential splicing events may be marker molecules.

Expression as used according to the present invention may comprise for example expression of proteins. The transcription to RNA and thus the level of mRNA may also be understood to be expression according to the present invention.

The expression of a compound is said to be significantly altered according to the present invention, if the level of expression differs by more than 30%. The alteration of the expression may comprise for example elevated expression or reduced expression of said compound. Another aspect of the altered expression may be an alteration in a way, that the compound is expressed under non wild-type circumstances. This may comprise, that the compound is for example expressed in situations that naturally suppress the expression, or is not expressed in situations that naturally induce the expression of the compound.

Alteration of the expression as used herein may also comprise an alteration in the transcription pattern of a gene. E.g. the alteration of the transcription pattern may comprise alternative splicing of the gene.

The alterations in the transcription pattern may influence the polypeptides translated from the altered transcripts or may be restricted to untranslated regions. The alteration in the transcription pattern of a gene may comprise use of novel exons in the transcripts, deletions of exons in the transcripts or the variation in the ratios of different splicing variants in cells. Thus alterations in transcriptional patterns of genes as used herein may comprise the production of nucleic acids such as e.g. mRNA, cDNA etc. containing additional stretches of nucleic acid sequences compared to wild type nucleic acids occurring in control tissues. Alternatively the nucleic acids produced by alternative splicing patterns may produce nucleic acids missing stretches of nucleic acid sequences present in wild type polynucleotides. The presence of additional stretches may occur simultaneously with the absence of original sequence-stretches in single transcripts. Alterations in the expression of genes as used in the context of the present invention may also comprise an alteration in the level of expression of splicing variants of genes. This may include increased or decreased expression of particular splicing variants as well as expression of variants not present in wild type tissue or the absence of expression of splicing variants present in wild type tissue. In one embodiment, the alteration of the expression of the splicing variants may comprise the alteration of the ratios of different splicing variants in said tissue.

Nucleic acids as used in the context of the present invention are preferably polynucleotides or fragments thereof. Preferred polynucleotides comprise at least 20 consecutive nucleotides, preferably at least 30 consecutive nucleotides and more preferably at least 45 consecutive nucleotides, which are identical, share sequence homology or encode for identical, or homologous polypeptides, compared to the polypeptides associated with the proliferative disorders disclosed herein. The nucleic acids according to the present invention may also be complementary to any of said polynucleotides. Polynucleotides may for example include single-stranded (sense or antisense) or double-stranded molecules, and may be DNA (genomic, cDNA or synthetic) or RNA. RNA molecules comprise as well hnRNA (containing introns) as mRNA (not containing introns). According to the present invention the polynucleotides may also be linked to any other molecules, such as support materials or detection marker molecules, and may, but need not, contain additional coding or non-coding sequences.

The polynucleotides according to the present invention may be native sequences or variants thereof. The variants may contain one or more substitutions, additions, deletions and/or insertions such that the immunogenicity of the encoded polypeptide is not diminished, relative to the respective native proteins. The variants show preferably 70%, more preferably at least 80% and most preferably at least 90% of sequence identity to the native nucleic acid molecules used in the methods according to the present invention. Methods for determination of sequence similarity are known to those of skill in the art.

One example for detecting the similarity of sequences can be carried out using the FastA and/or BlastN bioinformatics software accessible on the HUSAR server of the DKFZ Heidelberg.

Furthermore nucleic acids according to the present invention are all polynucleotides, which hybridise to probes specific for the sequences disclosed herein under stringent conditions. Stringent conditions applied for the hybridisation reaction are known to those of ordinary skill in the art and may be applied as described in Sambrook et al. Molecular cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2^(nd) Edition, 1989.

The present invention also provides polynucleotides, which due to the degeneracy of the genetic code encode the polypeptides natively encoded by the disclosed nucleic acids while not showing the percentage of sequence homology as described above within the nucleic acid sequence. Such nucleic acids might arise by changing the codons present in the disclosed sequences by degenerate codons and so preparing a synthetic nucleic acid.

The nucleotide sequences according to the present invention may be joined to a variety of other nucleic acid sequences using the known recombinant DNA techniques. The sequences may for example be cloned into any of a variety of cloning vectors, such as plasmids, phagemids, lambda phage derivatives and cosmids. Furthermore vectors such as expression vectors, replication vectors, probe generation vectors and sequencing vectors may be joined with the sequences disclosed herein. Sequences of special interest, that could be cloned to the nucleic acids according to the present invention are for example non coding sequences and regulatory sequences including promoters, enhancers and terminators.

In a preferred embodiment, polynucleotides may be formulated such that they are able to enter mammalian cells and to be expressed in said cells. Such formulations are especially useful for therapeutic purposes. The expression of nucleic acid sequences in target cells may be achieved by any method known to those skilled in the art. The nucleic acids may for example be joined to elements that are apt to enable their expression in a host cell. Such elements may comprise promoters or enhancers, such as CMV-, SV40-, RSV-, metallothionein I- or polyhedrin-promotors respectively CMV- or SV40-enhancers. Possible methods for the expression are for example incorporation of the polynucleotides into a viral vector including adenovirus, adeno-associated virus, retrovirus, vaccinia virus or pox virus. Viral vectors for the purpose of expression of nucleic acids in mammalian host cells may comprise pcDNA3, pMSX, PKCR, PEFBOS, cDM8, pCEV4 etc. These techniques are known to those skilled in the art.

Other formulations for administration in therapeutic purposes include colloidal dispersion systems such as for example macromolecule complexes, microspheres, beads, micelles and liposomes.

Generally, by means of conventional molecular biological processes it is possible (see, e.g., Sambrook et al., supra) to introduce different mutations into the nucleic acid molecules of the invention. As a result the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptides or polypeptides related thereto with possibly modified biological properties are synthesized. One possibility is the production of deletion mutants in which nucleic acid molecules are produced by continuous deletions from the 5′- or 3′-terminal of the coding DNA sequence and that lead to the synthesis of polypeptides that are shortened accordingly. Another possibility is the introduction of single-point mutation at positions where a modification of the amino aid sequence influences, e.g., the proliferation specific properties. By this method muteins can be produced, for example, that possess a modified Km-value or that are no longer subject to the regulation mechanisms that normally exist in the cell, e.g. with regard to allosteric regulation or covalent modification. Such muteins might also be valuable as therapeutically useful antagonists of the inventive lung tumor associated marker.

For the manipulation in prokaryotic cells by means of genetic engineering the nucleic acid molecules of the invention or parts of these molecules can be introduced into plasmids allowing a mutagenesis or a modification of a sequence by recombination of DNA sequences. By means of conventional methods (cf. Sambrook et al., supra), bases can be exchanged and natural or synthetic sequences can be added. In order to link the DNA fragments with each other adapters or linkers can be added to the fragments. Furthermore, manipulations can be performed that provide suitable cleavage sites or that remove superfluous DNA or cleavage sites. If insertions, deletions or substitutions are possible, in vitro mutagenesis, primer repair, restriction or ligation can be performed. As analysis method usually sequence analysis, restriction analysis and other biochemical or molecular biological methods are used.

The polypeptides encoded by the various variants of the nucleic acid molecules of the invention show certain common characteristics, such as activity in the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation, molecular weight, immunological reactivity or conformation or physical properties like the electrophoretical mobility, chromatographic behavior, sedimentation coefficients, solubility, spectroscopic properties, stability, pH optimum, temperature optimum.

The invention furthermore relates to vectors containing the inventive lung tumor associated nucleic acid molecules. Preferably, they are plasmids, cosmids, viruses, bacteriophages and other vectors usually used in the field of genetic engineering. Vectors suitable for use in the present invention include, but are not limited to the T7-based dual expression vectors (expression in prokaryotes and in eucaryotes) for expression in mammalian cells and baculovirus-derived vectors for expression in insect cells. Preferably, the nucleic acid molecule of the invention is operatively linked to the regulatory elements in the recombinant vector of the invention that guarantee the transcription and synthesis of an mRNA in prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic cells that can be translated. The nucleotide sequence to be transcribed can be operably linked to a promoter like a T7, metallothionein I or polyhedrin promoter.

In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to recombinant host cells transiently or stably containing the nucleic acid molecules or vectors of the invention. A host cell is understood to be an organism that is capable to take up in vitro recombinant DNA and, if the case may be, to synthesize the polypeptides encoded by the nucleic acid molecules of the invention. Preferably, these cells are prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells, for example mammalian cells, bacterial cells, insect cells or yeast cells. The host cells of the invention are preferably characterized by the fact that the introduced nucleic acid molecule of the invention either is heterologous with regard to the transformed cell, i.e. that it does not naturally occur in these cells, or is localized at a place in the genome different from that of the corresponding naturally occurring sequence.

A further embodiment of the invention relates to a polypeptide exhibiting a biological property of the inventive lung tumor associated marker and being encoded by the nucleic acid molecules of the invention, as well as to methods for their production, whereby, e.g., a host cell of the invention is cultivated under conditions allowing the synthesis of the polypeptide and the polypeptide is subsequently isolated from the cultivated cells and/or the culture medium. Isolation and purification of the recombinantly produced polypeptide may be carried out by conventional means including preparative chromatography and affinity and immunological separations using, e.g., an antibody directed against the inventive lung tumor associated marker proteins, or, e.g., can be substantially purified by the one-step method described in Smith and Johnson, Gene 67; 31-40 (1988). These polypeptides, however, not only comprise recombinantly produced polypeptides but include isolated naturally occurring polypeptides, synthetically produced polypeptides, or polypeptides produced by a combination of these methods. Means for preparing such polypeptides or related polypeptides are well understood in the art. These polypeptides are preferably in a substantially purified form.

The production of a polypeptide according to the present invention may for example be carried out in a cell free in vitro transcription and/or translation system. Such systems are known to those of ordinary skill in the art. One example may comprise an intro translation system as provided by Roche molecular Biochemicals' Rapid translation System.

Polypeptides as used in the present invention comprise at least an immunogenic portion of the inventive lung tumor associated marker proteins disclosed herein. The polypeptides may be of any length. Immunogenic portion as used above is a portion of a protein, that is recognized by a B-cell and/or T-cell surface antigen receptor. The immunogenic portions comprise at least 10 amino acid residues, more preferably at least 20 amino acid residues of the protein associated with a lung tumor. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, particular domains of the proteins, such as for example transmembrane domains or N-terminal leader sequences have been deleted. The immunogenic portions according to the present invention react with antisera or specific antibodies in the same or nearly same intensity as the native full length proteins.

The immunogenic portions are generally identified using the techniques well known in the art. Possible techniques are for example screening of the polypeptides for the ability to react with antigen-specific antibodies, antisera and/or T-cell lines or clones.

The polypeptides associated with lung tumors according to the present invention comprise also variants of the native proteins. These variants may differ from the native protein in one or more alterations such as substitutions, deletions, additions and/or insertions. The immunoreactivity of the variants according to the present invention is not substantially diminished compared to the native proteins. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the immunoreactivity is diminished less than 50% in a more preferred embodiment the immunoreactivity is diminished less than 20% compared to the native polypeptides.

In a preferred embodiment variants may be deficient in one or more portions, such as for example N-terminal leader sequences, transmembrane domains or small N- and/or C-terminal sequences. The variants exhibit 70%, more preferably at least 90% and most preferably at least 95% identity to the polypeptides disclosed according to the present invention.

The variants of the present invention are preferably conservative substitutions, so that the amino acids changed are substituted for amino acids with similar properties. The properties concerned may include polarity, charge, solubility, hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity and/or amphipathic nature of the amino acid residues. The variants disclosed herein may also comprise additional terminal leader sequences, linkers or sequences, which enable synthesis, purification or stability of the polypeptides in an easier or more comfortable way.

The polypeptides according to the present invention comprise also polypeptides that are fusion or chimeric polypeptides comprising the amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleic acid sequence of the inventive lung tumor associated marker disclosed herein. The polypeptides may be fused to any suitable amino acid sequences. These sequences may for example comprise antigenic fragments, receptors, enzymes, toxins, chelating epitopes, etc. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the amino acid sequences, that are fused to the disclosed polypeptides are tags useful in the purification or recovery of the polypeptides such as e.g. his-tags or myc-tags. The amino acid sequences fused together may be directly linked or may be separated by any linker or spacer sequences suitable in the particular purpose.

The polypeptides and polynucleotides according to the present invention are isolated. This means that the molecules are removed from their original environment. Naturally occurring proteins are isolated if they are separated from some or all of the materials, which coexist in the natural environment. Polynucleotides are isolated for example if they are cloned into vectors.

Furthermore, the present invention provides binding agents such as antibodies and antigen-binding fragments, that specifically bind to the proteins associated with a lung tumors disclosed herein.

The term binding agent comprises a variety of substances such as oligopeptides, antibodies, peptdiomimetic molecules comprising antigen binding oligopeptides, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, organic compounds, etc. Antibody according to the present invention preferably relates to antibodies which consist essentially of pooled monoclonal antibodies with different epitopic specificities, as well as distinct monoclonal antibody preparations. Monoclonal antibodies are made from an antigen containing fragments of the polypeptides of the invention by methods well known to those skilled in the art (see, e.g., Köhler et al., Nature 256 (1975), 495). As used herein, the term “antibody” (Ab) or “monoclonal antibody” (Mab) is meant to include intact molecules as well as antibody fragments (such as, for example, Fab and F(ab′) 2 fragments) which are capable of specifically binding to protein. Fab and f(ab′)₂ fragments lack the Fc fragment of intact antibody, clear more rapidly from the circulation, and may have less non-specific tissue binding than an intact antibody. (Wahl et al., J. Nucl. Med. 24: 316-325 (1983)). Thus, these fragments are preferred, as well as the products of a FAB or other immunoglobulin expression library. Moreover, antibodies of the present invention include chimerical, single chain, and humanized antibodies.

Binding agents according to the present invention may for example be employed for the inhibition of the activity of the inventive lung tumor associated marker polypeptides disclosed herein. In this respect the term “binding agents” relates to agents specifically binding to the polypeptides transcribed from the novel lung tumor associated nucleic acids and thus inhibiting the activity of said polypeptide. Such binding agents may for example comprise nucleic acids (DNA, RNA, PNA etc.), polypeptides (antibodies, receptors, antigenic fragments, oligopeptides), carbohydrates, lipids, organic or inorganic compounds (metal-ions, sulfur compounds, boranes, silicates, reducing agents, oxidizing agents). The binding agents may preferably interact with the polypeptide by binding to epitopes, that are essential for the biological activity. The interaction may be reversible or irreversibly. The binding may be non-covalent or even covalent binding to the polypeptide. Furthermore the binding agents may introduce alterations to the polypeptide, that alter or diminish the biological activity of the inventive polypeptide.

For certain purposes, e.g. diagnostic methods, the antibody or binding agent of the present invention may be detectably labelled, for example, with a radioisotope, a bioluminescent compound, a chemiluminescent compound, a fluorescent compound, a metal chelate, or an enzyme. The nucleic acid of the present invention may be detectably labelled, for example, with a radioisotope, a bioluminescent compound, a chemiluminescent compound, a fluorescent compound, a metal chelate, biotin, digoxygenin, or an enzyme. Furthermore any method suitable for the detection of the intermolecular interaction may be employed.

The antibody or antigen-binding agent is said to react specifically, if it reacts at a detectable level with a protein disclosed herein, and does not significantly react with other proteins. The antibodies according to the present invention may be monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies. Other molecules capable of binding specifically may be for example antigen-binding fragments of antibodies such as Fab fragments, RNA molecules or polypeptides. According to the present invention binding agents may be used isolated or in combination. By means of combination it is possible to achieve a higher degree of sensitivity.

The antibodies useful for the methods according to the present invention may comprise further binding sites for either therapeutic agents or other polypeptides or may be coupled to said therapeutic agents or polypeptides. Therapeutic agents may comprise drugs, toxins, radio-nuclides and derivatives thereof. The agents may be coupled to the binding agents either directly or indirectly for example by a linker or carrier group. The linker group may for example function in order to enable the coupling reaction between binding agent and therapeutic or other agent or the linker may act as a spacer between the distinct parts of the fusion molecule. The linker may also be cleavable under certain circumstances, so as to release the bound agent under said conditions. The therapeutic agents may be covalently coupled to carrier groups directly or via a linker group. The agent may also be non-covalently coupled to the carrier. Carriers that can be used according to the present invention are for example albumins, polypeptides, polysaccharides or liposomes.

The antibody used according to the present invention may be coupled to one or more agents. The multiple agents coupled to one antibody may be all of the same species or may be several different agents bound to one antibody.

The invention also relates to a transgenic non-human animal such as transgenic mouse, rats, hamsters, dogs, monkeys, rabbits, pigs, C. elegans and fish such as torpedo fish comprising a nucleic acid molecule or vector of the invention, preferably wherein said nucleic acid molecule or vector may be stably integrated into the genome of said non-human animal, preferably such that the presence of said nucleic acid molecule or vector leads to the expression of the inventive lung tumor associated marker polypeptide (or related polypeptide) of the invention, or may otherwise be transiently expressed within the non-human animal. Said animal may have one or several copies of the same or different nucleic acid molecules encoding one or several forms of the inventive lung tumor associated marker polypeptide or mutant forms thereof. This animal has numerous utilities, including as a research model for the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation and therefore, presents a novel and valuable animal in the development of therapies, treatment, etc. for diseases caused by deficiency or failure of the inventive lung tumor associated marker protein involved in the development of cell proliferative disorders, e.g., lung tumors. Accordingly, in this instance, the non-human mammal is preferably a laboratory animal such as a mouse or rat.

Preferably, the transgenic non-human animal of the invention further comprises at least one inactivated wild type allele of the corresponding gene encoding the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide. This embodiment allows for example the study of the interaction of various mutant forms of the inventive lung tumor associated marker polypeptides on the onset of the clinical symptoms of disease associated with the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. All the applications that have been herein before discussed with regard to a transgenic animal also apply to animals carrying two, three or more transgenes. It might be also desirable to inactivate the inventive lung tumor associated marker protein expression or function at a certain stage of development and/or life of the transgenic animal. This can be achieved by using, for example, tissue specific, developmental and/or cell regulated and/or inducible promoters which drive the expression of, e.g., an antisense or ribozyme directed against the RNA transcript encoding the inventive lung tumor associated marker encoding mRNA; see also supra. A suitable inducible system is for example tetracycline-regulated gene expression as described, e.g., by Gossen and Bujard (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 89 USA (1992), 5547-5551) and Gossen et al. (Trends Biotech. 12 (1994), 58-62). Similar, the expression of the mutant inventive lung tumor associated protein may be controlled by such regulatory elements.

Furthermore, the invention also relates to a transgenic mammalian cell which contains (preferably stably integrated into its genome or transiently introduced) a nucleic acid molecule according to the invention or part thereof, wherein the transcription and/or expression of the nucleic acid molecule or part thereof leads to reduction of the synthesis of an inventive lung tumor associated marker protein. In a preferred embodiment, the reduction is achieved by an anti-sense, sense, ribozyme, co-suppression and/or dominant mutant effect. “Antisense” and “antisense nucleotides” means DNA or RNA constructs which block the expression of the naturally occurring gene product. In another preferred embodiment the native nucleic acid sequence coding for the inventive lung tumor associated marker polypeptide may be altered or substituted by a variant of said nucleic acid sequence, e.g. by means of recombination, thus rendering the inventive lung tumor associated marker gene non functional. Thus an organism lacking the inventive lung tumor associated marker polypeptide activity may be produced according to knock out experiments.

The provision of the nucleic acid molecule according to the invention opens up the possibility to produce transgenic non-human animals with a reduced level of the inventive lung tumor associated marker protein as described above and, thus, with a defect in the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. Techniques how to achieve this are well known to the person skilled in the art. These include, for example, the expression of antisense-RNA, ribozymes, of molecules which combine antisense and ribozyme functions and/or of molecules which provide for a co-suppression effect. When using the antisense approach for reduction of the amount of the inventive lung tumor associated marker proteins in cells, the nucleic acid molecule encoding the antisense-RNA is preferably of homologous origin with respect to the animal species used for transformation. However, it is also possible to use nucleic acid molecules which display a high degree of homology to endogenously occurring nucleic acid molecules encoding an inventive lung tumor associated marker protein. In this case the homology is preferably higher than 80%, particularly higher than 90% and still more preferably higher than 95%. The reduction of the synthesis of a polypeptide according to the invention in the transgenic mammalian cells can result in an alteration in, e.g., degradation of endogenous proteins. In transgenic animals comprising such cells this can lead to various physiological, developmental and/or morphological changes.

Thus, the present invention also relates to transgenic non-human animals comprising the above-described transgenic cells. These may show, for example, a deficiency in regulation of cell proliferation and/or differentiation compared to wild type animals due to the stable or transient presence of a foreign DNA resulting in at least one of the following features:

-   -   (a) disruption of (an) endogenous gene(s) encoding the inventive         lung tumor associated marker;     -   (b) expression of at least one antisense RNA and/or ribozyme         against a transcript comprising a nucleic acid molecule of the         invention;     -   (c) expression of a sense and/or non-translatable mRNA of the         nucleic acid molecule of the invention;     -   (d) expression of an antibody of the invention;     -   (e) incorporation of a functional or non-functional copy of the         regulatory sequence of the invention; or     -   (f) incorporation of a recombinant DNA molecule or vector of the         invention.

Methods for the production of a transgenic non-human animal of the present invention, preferably transgenic mouse, are well known to the person skilled in the art. Such methods, e.g., comprise the introduction of a nucleic acid molecule or vector of the invention into a germ cell, an embryonic cell, stem cell or an egg or a cell derived therefrom. The non-human animal can be used in accordance with a screening method of the invention described herein and may be a non-transgenic healthy animal, or may have a disorder, preferably a disorder caused by at least one mutation in the inventive lung tumor associated marker protein. Such transgenic animals are well suited for, e.g., pharmacological studies of drugs in connection with mutant forms of the above described inventive lung tumor associated marker polypeptide. Production of transgenic embryos and screening of those can be performed, e.g., as described by A. L. Joyner Ed., Gene Targeting, A Practical Approach (1993), Oxford University Press. The DNA of the embryonal membranes of embryos can be analyzed using, e.g., Southern blots with an appropriate probe, amplification techniques based on nucleic acids (e.g. PCR) etc.; see supra.

Another aspect of the present invention is a pharmaceutical composition for use in the treatment of disorders associated with abnormal cell proliferation. The polypeptides, polynucleotides and binding agents (esp. antibodies) according to the present invention may be incorporated into pharmaceutical or immunogenic compositions.

The pharmaceutical compositions may be administered by any suitable way known to those of skill in the art. The administration may for example comprise injection, such as e.g., intracutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous or subcutaneous injection, intranasal administration for example by aspiration or oral administration. A suitable dosage to ensure the pharmaceutical benefit of the treatment should be chosen according the parameters, such as age, sex, body weight etc. of the patient, known to those of skill in the art.

The pharmaceutical compositions comprise said compounds and a physiologically acceptable carrier. The type of carrier to be employed in the pharmaceutical compositions of this invention, will vary depending on the mode of administration. For parenteral administration, such as subcutaneous injection, the carrier preferably comprises water, saline, alcohol, a lipid, a wax and/or a buffer. For oral administration, any of the above carriers or a solid carrier, such as mannitol, lactose, starch, magnesium stearate, sodium saccharine, talcum, cellulose, glucose, sucrose, and/or magnesium carbonate, may be employed. Biodegradable microspheres (e.g., polylactic glycolide) may also be employed as carriers for the pharmaceutical compositions of this invention. Suitable biodegradable microspheres are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,897,268 and 5,075,109.

A pharmaceutical composition or vaccine may for example contain DNA, that codes for one or more polypeptides according to the present invention. The DNA may be administered in a way that allows the polypeptides to be generated in situ. Suitable expression systems are known to those skilled in the art. In another embodiment of the invention the nucleic acids may be for example anti-sense constructs. Pharmaceutical compositions may also comprise nucleic acid molecules expressible in a mammalian or human host system comprising a viral or other expression system for example an adenoviral vector system.

The nucleic acid may also be administered as a naked nucleic acid. In this case appropriate physical delivery systems, which enhance the uptake of nucleic acid may be employed, such as coating the nucleic acid onto biodegradable beads, which are efficiently transported into the cells. Administration of naked nucleic acids may for example be useful for the purpose of transient expression within a host or host cell.

Alternatively the pharmaceutical compositions may comprise one or more polypeptides. The polypeptides incorporated into pharmaceutical compositions may be the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide. Optionally the polypeptide may be administered in combination with one or more other known polypeptides such as for example enzymes, antibodies, regulatory factors, such as cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases or CKIs, or toxins.

Polypeptides of the present invention or fragments thereof, that comprise an immunogenic portion of an inventive lung tumor associated protein, may be used in immunogenic compositions, wherein the polypeptide e.g. stimulates the patient's own immune response to tumor cells. A patient may be afflicted with disease, or may be free of detectable disease. Accordingly, the compounds disclosed herein may be used to treat cancer or to inhibit the development of cancer. The compounds may be administered either prior to or following a conventional treatment of tumors such as surgical removal of primary tumors, treatment by administration of radiotherapy, conventional chemotherapeutic methods or any other mode of treatment of the respective cancer or its precursors.

Immunogenic compositions such as vaccines may comprise one or more polypeptides and a non-specific immune-response enhancer, wherein the non-specific immune response enhancer is capable of eliciting or enhancing an immune response to an exogenous antigen. Any suitable immune-response enhancer may be employed in the vaccines of this invention. For example, an adjuvant may be included. Most adjuvants contain a substance designed to protect the antigen from rapid catabolism, such as aluminium hydroxide or mineral oil, and a non-specific stimulator of immune response, such as lipid A, Bordetella pertussis or Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Such adjuvants are commercially available as, for example, Freund's Incomplete Adjuvant and Complete Adjuvant (Difco Laboratories, Detroit, Mich.) and Merck Adjuvant 65 (Merck and Company, Inc., Rahway, N.J.).

Pharmaceutical compositions and vaccines may also contain other epitopes of tumor antigens, either incorporated into a fusion protein as described above (i.e., a single polypeptide that contains multiple epitopes) or present within a separate polypeptide.

Disorders characterized by abnormal cell proliferation, as used in the context of the present invention, may comprise for example neoplasms such as benign and malignant tumors, carcinomas, sarcomas, leukemias, lymphomas or dysplasias. Tumors may comprise tumors of the head and the neck, tumors of the respiratory tract, tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, tumors of the urinary system, tumors of the reproductive system, tumors of the endocrine system, tumors of the central and peripheral nervous system, tumors of the skin and its appendages, tumors of the soft tissues and bones, tumors of the lymphopoietic and hematopoietic system, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, anogenital cancer etc.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the disorders are lung tumors. Lung tumors according to the present invention comprise conditions of the respiratory tract characterized by abnormal growth properties of cells or tissues compared to the growth properties of normal control cells or tissues. The growth of the cells or tissues may be for example abnormally accelerated or may be regulated abnormally. Abnormal regulation as used above may comprise any form of presence or absence of non-wild type responses of the cells or tissues to naturally occurring growth regulating influences. The abnormalities in growth of the cells or tissues may be for example neoplastic or hyperplastic. In one preferred embodiment of the invention the lung tumors are cancers or precancerous conditions of the respiratory tract.

A sample according to the method of the present invention is any sample, that may contain cells, tissues or body liquids. Furthermore any sample potentially containing the marker molecules to be detected may be a sample according to the present invention. Such samples are e.g. blood, plasma, serum, swabs, washes, sputum, cell- and tissue-samples or biopsies.

Biopsies as used in the context of the present invention may comprise e.g. resection samples of tumors, tissue samples prepared by endoscopic means or needle biopsies. Furthermore any sample potentially containing the marker molecules to be detected may be a sample according to the present invention.

The method for detection of the level of the polynucleotides or polypeptides according to the present invention is any method, which is suited to detect very small amounts of specific molecules in samples. The detection reaction according to the present invention may be for example a detection either on the level of nucleic acids or on the level of polypeptides. The detection may either be a detection of the level of polypeptides or nucleic acids in cells in total or in cell lysates or a detection of the level of polypeptides or nucleic acids in distinct subcellular regions. The methods for determining the subcellular distribution of compounds are known to those of skill in the art. In one embodiment of the invention the detection of the marker molecules may comprise the detection of particular splicing variants. In another embodiment of the present invention the detection method may comprise the detection of methylation of nucleic acid molecules in samples.

Applicable formats for the detection reaction according to the present invention may be blotting techniques, such as Western-Blot, Southern-blot, Northern-blot. The blotting techniques are known to those of ordinary skill in the art and may be performed for example as electro-blots, semidry-blots, vacuum-blots or dot-blots. Furthermore immunological methods for detection of molecules may be applied, such as for example immunoprecipitation or immunological assays, such as ELISA, RIA, lateral flow assays etc.

Methods for detection of methylation of nucleic acids are known to those of skill in the art and may comprise for example methods employing chemical pre-treatment of nucleic acids with e.g. sodium bisulphite, permanganate or hydrazine, and subsequent detection of the modification by means of specific restriction endonucleases or by means of specific probes e.g. in the course of an amplification reaction. The detection of methylation may furthermore be performed using methylation specific restriction endonucleases.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the detection of the level of marker molecules is carried out by detection of the level of nucleic acids coding for the marker molecules or fragments thereof present in the sample. The means for detection of nucleic acid molecules are known to those skilled in the art. The procedure for the detection of nucleic acids can for example be carried out by a binding reaction of the molecule to be detected to complementary nucleic acid probes, proteins with binding specificity for the nucleic acids or any other entities specifically recognizing and binding to said nucleic acids. This method can be performed as well in vitro as directly in-situ for example in the course of a detecting staining reaction. Another way of detecting the marker molecules in a sample on the level of nucleic acids performed in the method according to the present invention is an amplification reaction of nucleic acids, which can be carried out in a quantitative manner such as for example PCR, LCR or NASBA.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention the detection of the level of marker molecules is carried out by determining the level of expression of a protein. The determination of the marker molecules on the protein level may for example be carried out in a reaction comprising a binding agent specific for the detection of the marker molecules. These binding agents may comprise for example antibodies and antigen-binding fragments, bifunctional hybrid antibodies, peptidomimetics containing minimal antigen-binding epitopes etc. The binding agents may be used in many different detection techniques for example in western-blot, ELISA, lateral flow assay, latex-agglutination, immunochromatographic strips or immuno-precipitation. Generally binding agent based detection may be carried out as well in vitro as directly in situ for example in the course of an immuno-cytochemical staining reaction. Any other method suitable for determining the amount of particular polypeptides in solutions of biological samples, such as biochemical, chemical, physical or physico-chemical methods, can be used according to the present invention.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the level of markers is significantly elevated compared to a non tumorous test sample. In this case the marker is overexpressed in the sample. In another preferred embodiment of the present invention the level of the marker is lowered compared to a non tumorous test sample. In a third embodiment there is no detectable expression of the marker at all in the test sample unlike in a control sample. In yet another embodiment there is detectable level of non wild-type marker molecules. Non wild-Type marker molecules may comprise any marker molecules that deviate in sequence or structure from the structure or sequence, that is functional in wild type tissue not affected by a cell proliferative disease. Wild type sequences or structures are the sequences or structures predominantly present in normal cells or tissues. In one preferred embodiment of the invention the level of particular splicing variants of the marker gene is altered in the test samples compared to the wild type tissue. This may lead to altered levels of splicing variants, new splicing variants, neo-peptides, altered ratios of different splicing variants of genes.

The detection of the level of molecular markers according to the present invention may be the detection of the level of single marker molecules in separated reaction mixtures as well as the detection of a combination of markers simultaneously. The combination may comprise the molecular markers disclosed herein and additionally further marker molecules useful for the detection of tumors.

The detection may be carried out in solution or using reagents fixed to a solid phase. The detection of one or more molecular markers may be performed in a single reaction mixture or in two or separate reaction mixtures. The detection reactions for several marker molecules may for example be performed simultaneously in multi-well reaction vessels. The markers characteristic for the lung tumors disclosed herein may be detected using reagents that specifically recognise these molecules. Simultaneously one or more further markers may be detected using reagents, that specifically recognize them. The detection reaction for each single marker may comprise one or more reactions with detecting agents either recognizing the initial marker molecules or preferably recognizing molecules used to recognize other molecules. Such reaction may e.g. comprise the use of primary and secondary and further antibodies. The detection reaction further may comprise a reporter reaction indicating the level of the inventive polypeptides associated with lung tumors. The reporter reaction may be for example a reaction producing a coloured compound, a bioluminescence reaction, a fluorescence reaction, generally a radiation emitting reaction etc.

In one preferred embodiment, the detection of tissues expressing marker gene products is carried out in form of molecular imaging procedures. The respective procedures are known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Imaging methods for use in the context of the present invention may for example comprise MRI, SPECT, PET and other methods suitable for in vivo imaging.

In one embodiment the method may be based on the enzymatic conversion of inert or labelled compounds to molecules detectable in the course of molecular imaging methods by the marker molecules. In another embodiment the molecular imaging method may be based on the use of compounds carrying a suitable label for in vivo molecular imaging, such as radio isotopes, metal ions etc., specifically binding to marker molecules in vivo.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, these compounds are non-toxic compounds and may be eliminated from the circulation of organisms, such as humans, in a time span, that allows for performing the detection of label accumulated in tumor tissue overexpressing the respective marker gene. In another preferred embodiment of the invention compounds are used for molecular imaging, for which clearance from the circulation is not relevant for performing the molecular imaging reaction. This may be for example due to low background produced by the circulating molecules etc. The compounds for use in molecular imaging methods are administered in pharmaceutical acceptable form in compositions that may additionally comprise any other suitable substances, such as e.g. other diagnostically useful substances, therapeutically useful substances, carrier substances or the like.

The marker molecules disclosed according to the present invention may be used for diagnosis, monitoring of the disease course and prognosis in cell proliferative disorders such as e.g. lung tumors.

Diagnosis of disorders associated with the expression of the inventive gene as used herein may for example comprise the detection of cells or tissues affected by abnormal growth. In one preferred embodiment diagnosis means the primary detection of a disease in an organism or sample. According to the present invention the method for diagnosis of disorders such as tumors may be applied in routine screening tests for preventive aspects in order to detect said disease at an early stage of the onset of the disorder. In another preferred embodiment the diagnostic method may be used to determine the minimal residual disease of a tumor after primary therapy. In this respect the method of the invention may be applied to determine cells in body samples displaying abnormal expression of marker molecules according to the present invention, characteristic for lung tumors. Thus a spread of affected cells may be detected in body liquids.

In one embodiment of the invention, the methods disclosed herein may be used for the detection and identification of metastases. The method may be applied either for detection of metastases in body tissues or organs by the detection methods described herein, or the metastases may be diagnoses with respect to prognosis and prediction of disease course.

Monitoring of the disease course may comprise determining the levels of marker molecules at different time points, comparing the levels at the different time points and assessing a diagnosis about the progression of the disease over the covered period of time. Thus monitoring may enable for assessment of prognosis and/or for design of an adequate therapy for a particular patient.

Prognosis of the disease course of a cell proliferative disorders such as e.g. lung tumors according to the present invention may comprise determining the level of expression of one or more marker molecules, comparing the levels with data from subsequent studies in a database and prognosticating the disease course from said comparison. In a preferred embodiment the method may comprise the detection of the levels of a set of marker molecules, the distinct levels of which may characterize distinct stages in the course of the disease. In a further embodiment of the invention the combination of the levels of a combination of markers may be an indicator for the prognosis of the further disease course and may build the basis for design of an adequate therapy.

The present invention further provides kits for use in e.g. research or diagnostic methods. Such kits may contain two or more components for performing a scientific or diagnostic assay. Components may be compounds, reagents, containers and/or equipment. One component may be an antibody or fragment thereof that specifically binds to a polypeptide associated with lung tumors. Additionally the kit may contain reagents, buffers or others known in the art as necessary for performing the diagnostic assay. Alternatively the research kit or diagnostic kit may contain nucleotide probes or primers for the detection of DNA or RNA. Such a kit should contain appropriate additional reagents and buffers known in the art.

A kit according to present invention comprises:

-   -   a) reagents for the detection of the molecular marker molecules,     -   b) the reagents and buffers commonly used for carrying out the         detection reaction, such as buffers, detection-markers, carrier         substances and others, and     -   c) a marker sample for carrying out a positive control reaction.

The reagent for the detection of the marker includes any agent capable of binding to the marker molecule. Such reagents may include proteins, polypeptides, nucleic acids, glycoproteins, proteoglycans, polysaccharides or lipids.

The sample for carrying out a positive control may comprise for example nucleic acids in applicable form, such as solution or salt, peptides in applicable form, tissue section samples or positive cells expressing the molecules associated with lung tumors.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the detection of the marker molecules is carried out on the level of polypeptides. In this embodiment, the binding agents may be for example antibodies specific for the marker molecules or fragments thereof.

In another embodiment of the test kit, the detection of the marker molecule is carried out on the nucleic acid level. In this embodiment of the invention the reagents for the detection may be for example nucleic acid probes or primers complementary to said marker molecule nucleic acids.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method for therapy and/or vaccination. According to the present invention a therapy of cell proliferative disorders can be carried out using the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptides and/or polynucleotides. The therapy may be for example immunotherapy or somatic gene therapy.

The inventive lung tumor associated polypeptides and/or polynucleotides may according to the present invention be used for vaccination against cell proliferative disorders. Vaccination according to the present invention may comprise administering an immunogenic compound to an individual for the purpose of stimulating an immune response directed against said immunogenic compound and thus immunizing said individual against said immunogenic compound. Stimulating an immune response may comprise inducing the production of antibodies against said compound as well as stimulating cytotoxic T-cells. For the purpose of vaccination the polypeptides, nucleic acids and binding agents according to the present invention may be administered in a physiological acceptable form. The composition to be administered to individuals may comprise one or more antigenic components, physiologically acceptable carrier substances or buffer solutions, immunostimulants and/or adjuvants. Adjuvants may comprise for example Freund's incomplete adjuvant or Freund's complete adjuvant or other adjuvants known to those of skill in the art.

The composition may be administered in any applicable way such as e.g. intravenous, subcutaneous, intramuscular etc. The dosage of the composition depends on the particular case and purpose of the vaccination. It has to be adapted to parameters by the individual treated such as age, weight, sex etc. Furthermore the type of the immune response to be elicited has to be taken into account. In general it may be preferable if an individual receives 100 μg-1 g of a polypeptide according to the present invention or 10⁶-10¹² MOI of a recombinant nucleic acid, containing a nucleic acid according to the present invention in a form that may be expressed in situ.

Individuals for the purpose of vaccination may be any organisms containing the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptides and/or polynucleotides and being able to get affected by cell proliferative disorders.

Vaccination of individuals may be favourable e.g. in the case of altered, non wild-type sequences or structure of marker molecules associated with cell proliferative disorders.

Polypeptides disclosed herein may also be employed in adoptive immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer. Adoptive immunotherapy may be broadly classified into either active or passive immunotherapy. In active immunotherapy, treatment relies on the in vivo stimulation of the endogenous host immune system to react against tumors with the administration of immune response-modifying agents (for example, tumor vaccines, bacterial adjuvants, and/or cytokines).

In passive immunotherapy, treatment involves the delivery of biologic reagents with established tumor-immune reactivity (such as effector cells or antibodies) that can directly or indirectly mediate antitumor effects and does not necessarily depend on an intact host immune system. Examples of effector cells include T lymphocytes (for example, CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocyte, CD4+ T-helper, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes), killer cells (such as Natural Killer cells, lymphokine-activated killer cells), B cells, or antigen presenting cells (such as dendritic cells and macrophages) expressing the disclosed antigens. The polypeptides disclosed herein may also be used to generate antibodies or anti-idiotypic antibodies (as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,164), for passive immunotherapy.

The predominant method of procuring adequate numbers of T-cells for adoptive immunotherapy is to grow immune T-cells in vitro. Culture conditions for expanding single antigen-specific T-cells to several billion in number with retention of antigen recognition in vivo are well known in the art. These in vitro culture conditions typically utilize intermittent stimulation with antigen, often in the presence of cytokines, such as IL-2, and non-dividing feeder cells. As noted above, the immunoreactive polypeptides described herein may be used to rapidly expand antigen-specific T cell cultures in order to generate sufficient number of cells for immunotherapy. In particular, antigen-presenting cells, such as dendritic, macrophage or B-cells, may be pulsed with immunoreactive polypeptides or transfected with a nucleic acid sequence(s), using standard techniques well known in the art. For example, antigen presenting cells may be transfected with a nucleic acid sequence, wherein said sequence contains a promoter region appropriate for increasing expression, and can be expressed as part of a recombinant virus or other expression system. For cultured T-cells to be effective in therapy, the cultured T-cells must be able to grow and distribute widely and to survive long term in vivo. Studies have demonstrated that cultured T-cells can be induced to grow in vivo and to survive long term in substantial numbers by repeated stimulation with antigen supplemented with IL-2 (see, for example, Cheever, M., et al, “Therapy With Cultured T Cells: Principles Revisited,” Immunological Reviews, 157:177, 1997).

The polypeptides disclosed herein may also be employed to generate and/or isolate tumor-reactive T-cells, which can then be administered to the patient. In one technique, antigen-specific T-cell lines may be generated by in vivo immunization with short peptides corresponding to immunogenic portions of the disclosed polypeptides. The resulting antigen specific CD8+ CTL clones may be isolated from the patient, expanded using standard tissue culture techniques, and returned to the patient.

Alternatively, peptides corresponding to immunogenic portions of the polypeptides of the invention may be employed to generate tumor reactive T-cell subsets by selective in vitro stimulation and expansion of autologous T-cells to provide antigen-specific T-cells which may be subsequently transferred to the patient as described, for example, by Chang et al. (Crit. Rev. Oncol. Hematol., 22(3), 213, 1996). Cells of the immune system, such as T-cells, may be isolated from the peripheral blood of a patient, using a commercially available cell separation system, such as CellPro Incorporated's (Bothell, Wash.) CEPRATE.™. system (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,856; U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,926; WO 89/06280; WO 91/16116 and WO 92/07243). The separated cells are stimulated with one or more of the immunoreactive polypeptides contained within a delivery vehicle, such as a microsphere, to provide antigen-specific T-cells. The population of tumor antigen-specific T-cells is then expanded using standard techniques and the cells are administered back to the patient.

In another embodiment, T-cell and/or antibody receptors specific for the polypeptides can be cloned, expanded, and transferred into other vectors or effector cells for use in adoptive immunotherapy.

In a further embodiment, syngeneic or autologous dendritic cells may be pulsed with peptides corresponding to at least an immunogenic portion of a polypeptide disclosed herein. The resulting antigen-specific dendritic cells may either be transferred into a patient, or employed to stimulate T-cells to provide antigen-specific T-cells, which may, in turn, be administered to a patient. The use of peptide-pulsed dendritic cells to generate antigen-specific T-cells and the subsequent use of such antigen-specific T-cells to eradicate tumors in a murine model has been demonstrated by Cheever et al, Immunological Reviews, 157:177, 1997.

Additionally, vectors expressing the disclosed nucleic acids may be introduced into stem cells taken from the patient and clonally propagated in vitro for autologous transplant back into the same patient.

Monoclonal antibodies of the present invention may also be used as therapeutic compounds in order to diminish or eliminate tumors. The antibodies may be used on their own (for instance, to inhibit metastases) or coupled to one or more therapeutic agents. Suitable agents in this regard include radio nuclides, differentiation inducers, drugs, toxins, and derivatives thereof. Preferred radio nuclides include 90Y, 123I, 125I, 131I, 186Re, 188Re, 211At, and 212Bi. Preferred drugs include methotrexate, and pyrimidine and purine analogs. Preferred differentiation inducers include phorbol esters and butyric acid. Preferred toxins include ricin, abrin, diptheria toxin, cholera toxin, gelonin, Pseudomonas exotoxin, Shigella toxin, and pokeweed antiviral protein.

In one embodiment of the invention, the therapy of disorders characterized by abnormal cell proliferation may comprise the administration of antisense construct or ribozymes. The methods for administration of ribozymes or antisense constructs are known to those of skill in the art. The administration may take place as administration of naked nucleic acids or as administration of nucleic acids that are suited for expression of the relevant active products in situ.

In another embodiment of the invention the treatment of disorders may comprise the administration of binding agents directed against the inventive lung tumor associated molecules. These binding agents may for example be coupled to other compounds such as toxins, enzymes, radio-isotopes etc.

In another embodiment of the invention, therapy of disorders associated with abnormal expression of the presented inventive lung tumor associated molecules may comprise the administration of antagonists or agonists of the inventive lung tumor associated molecules, of binding partners of the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptides of inhibitors or enhancer of the expression of the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptides or of drugs identifiable by assays involving the measurement of the activity of the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptides. The methods for identifying these substances are known to those of skill in the art.

An example for a method for identifying a binding partner of an inventive lung tumor associated polypeptides (or related polypeptide) and/or polynucleotide may comprise:

-   -   (a) contacting the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide         of the invention with a compound to be screened; and     -   (b) determining whether the compound affects an activity of the         polypeptide.

The inventive lung tumor associated polypeptides may be used to screen for proteins or other compounds that bind to the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptides or for proteins or other compounds to which the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide binds. The binding of the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide and the molecule may activate (agonist), increase, inhibit (antagonist), or decrease activity of the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide or the molecule bound. Examples of such molecules include antibodies, oligonucleotides, proteins (e.g., receptors), or small molecules.

Preferably, the molecule is closely related to the natural ligand of the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide, e.g., a fragment of the ligand, or a natural substrate, a ligand, a structural or functional mimetic; see, e.g., Coligan, Current Protocols in Immunology 1(2) (1991); Chapter 5. Similarly, the molecule can be closely related to the natural receptor to which the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide might bind, or at least, a fragment of the receptor capable of being bound by the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide (e.g., active site). In either case, the molecule can be rationally designed using known techniques.

Preferably, the screening for these molecules involves producing appropriate cells which express the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide, either as a secreted protein or on the cell membrane. Preferred cells include cells from mammals, yeast, Drosophila, or E. coli. Cells expressing the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide (or cell membrane containing the expressed polypeptide) are then preferably contacted with a test compound potentially containing the molecule to observe binding, stimulation, or inhibition of activity of the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide.

The assay may simply test binding of a candidate compound to the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide, wherein binding is detected by a label, or in an assay involving competition with a labelled competitor. Further, the assay may test whether the candidate compound results in a signal generated by binding to the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide.

Alternatively, the assay can be carried out using cell-free preparations, polypeptide/molecule affixed to a solid support, chemical libraries, or natural product mixtures. The assay may also simply comprise the steps of mixing a candidate compound with a solution containing the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide, measuring the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide/molecule activity or binding, and comparing the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide/molecule activity or binding to a standard.

Preferably, an ELISA assay can measure the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide level or activity in a sample (e.g., biological sample) using a monoclonal or polyclonal antibody. The antibody can measure the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide level or activity by either binding, directly or indirectly, to the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide or by competing with the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide for a substrate. All of these above assays can be used as diagnostic or prognostic markers. The molecules discovered using these assays can be used to treat disease or to bring about a particular result in a patient (e.g., elimination of an epithelial tumor or stop of progression of tumor growth) by activating or inhibiting the inventive lung tumor associated molecule. Moreover, the assays can discover agents which may inhibit or enhance the production of the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide from suitably manipulated cells or tissues.

Therefore, the invention includes a method of identifying compounds which bind to the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide comprising the steps of: (a) incubating a candidate binding compound with a polypeptide of the invention (the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide); and (b) determining if binding has occurred.

Moreover, the invention includes a method of identifying activators/agonists or inhibitors/antagonists of a the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide comprising the steps of: (a) incubating a candidate compound with a polypeptide of the invention; b) assaying a biological activity, and (c) determining if a biological activity of the polypeptide of the invention has been altered.

In a further embodiment, the present invention relates to method of identifying and obtaining a drug candidate for therapy of a disorder characterized by abnormal cell proliferation comprising the steps of

-   -   (a) contacting a lung tumor associated polypeptide of the         present invention or a cell expressing said polypeptide in the         presence of components capable of providing a detectable signal         in response to altered regulation of cell proliferation or to         altered cell differentiation, with said drug candidate to be         screened under conditions to allow protein degradation, and     -   (b) detecting presence or absence of a signal or increase of the         signal generated from protein degradation, wherein the presence         or increase of the signal is indicative for a putative drug.

Experiments using animals or isolated cells or cell lines may be used to examine the proliferative behavior of cells or tissues in dependence on the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide action. The same procedures may be employed for the study of cell differentiation.

The drug candidate may be a single compound or a plurality of compounds. The term “plurality of compounds” in a method of the invention is to be understood as a plurality of substances which may or may not be identical.

Said compound or plurality of compounds may be chemically synthesized or microbiologically produced and/or comprised in, for example, samples, e.g., cell extracts from, e.g., plants, animals or microorganisms. Furthermore, said compound(s) may be known in the art but hitherto not known to be capable of suppressing or activating the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptides. The reaction mixture may be a cell free extract or may comprise a cell or tissue culture. Suitable set ups for the method of the invention are known to the person skilled in the art and are, for example, generally described in Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell, third edition (1994) and in the appended examples. The plurality of compounds may be, e.g., added to the reaction mixture, culture medium, injected into a cell or otherwise applied to the transgenic animal. The cell or tissue that may be employed in the method of the invention preferably is a host cell, mammalian cell or non-human transgenic animal of the invention described in the embodiments hereinbefore.

If a sample containing a compound or a plurality of compounds is identified in the method of the invention, then it is either possible to isolate the compound from the original sample identified as containing the compound capable of suppressing or activating the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide, or one can further subdivide the original sample, for example, if it consists of a plurality of different compounds, so as to reduce the number of different substances per sample and repeat the method with the subdivisions of the original sample. Depending on the complexity of the samples, the steps described above can be performed several times, preferably until the sample identified according to the method of the invention only comprises a limited number of or only one substance(s). Preferably said sample comprises substances of similar chemical and/or physical properties, and most preferably said substances are identical.

Several methods are known to the person skilled in the art for producing and screening large libraries to identify compounds having specific affinity for a target. These methods include the phage-display method in which randomized peptides are displayed from phage and screened by affinity chromatography to an immobilized receptor; see, e.g., WO 91/17271, WO 92/01047, U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,409. In another approach, combinatorial libraries of polymers immobilized on a chip are synthesized using photolithography; see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,854, WO 90/15070 and WO 92/10092. The immobilized polymers are contacted with a labelled receptor and scanned for label to identify polymers binding to the receptor. The synthesis and screening of peptide libraries on continuous cellulose membrane supports that can be used for identifying binding ligands of the polypeptide of the invention and thus possible inhibitors and activators is described, for example, in Kramer, Methods Mol. Biol. 87 (1998), 25-39. This method can also be used, for example, for determining the binding sites and the recognition motifs in the polypeptide of the invention. In like manner, the substrate specificity of the DnaK chaperon was determined and the contact sites between human interleukin-6 and its receptor; see Rudiger, EMBO J. 16 (1997), 1501-1507 and Weiergraber, FEBS Lett. 379 (1996), 122-126, respectively. Furthermore, the above-mentioned methods can be used for the construction of binding supertopes derived from the polypeptide of the invention. A similar approach was successfully described for peptide antigens of the anti-p24 (HIV-1) monoclonal antibody; see Kramer, Cell 91 (1997), 799-809. A general route to fingerprint analyses of peptide-antibody interactions using the clustered amino acid peptide library was described in Kramer, Mol. Immunol. 32 (1995), 459-465. In addition, antagonists of the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide of the invention can be derived and identified from monoclonal antibodies that specifically react with the polypeptide of the invention in accordance with the methods as described in Doring, Mol. Immunol. 31 (1994), 1059-1067.

More recently, WO 98/25146 described further methods for screening libraries of complexes for compounds having a desired property, especially, the capacity to agonize, bind to, or antagonize a polypeptide or its cellular receptor. The complexes in such libraries comprise a compound under test, a tag recording at least one step in synthesis of the compound, and a tether susceptible to modification by a reporter molecule. Modification of the tether is used to signify that a complex contains a compound having a desired property. The tag can be decoded to reveal at least one step in the synthesis of such a compound. Other methods for identifying compounds which interact with the polypeptides according to the invention or nucleic acid molecules encoding such molecules are, for example, the in vitro screening with the phage display system as well as filter binding assays or “real time” measuring of interaction using, for example, the BIAcore apparatus (Pharmacia).

All these methods can be used in accordance with the present invention to identify activators/agonists and inhibitors/antagonists of the lung tumor associated polypeptide or related polypeptide of the invention.

Various sources for the basic structure of such an activator or inhibitor can be employed and comprise, for example, mimetic analogues of the polypeptide of the invention. Mimetic analogues of the polypeptide of the invention or biologically active fragments thereof can be generated by, for example, substituting the amino acids that are expected to be essential for the biological activity with, e.g., stereoisomers, i.e. D-amino acids; see e.g., Tsukida, J. Med. Chem. 40 (1997), 3534-3541. Furthermore, in case fragments are used for the design of biologically active analogs pro-mimetic components can be incorporated into a peptide to re-establish at least some of the conformational properties that may have been lost upon removal of part of the original polypeptide; see, e.g., Nachman, Regul. Pept. 57 (1995), 359-370. Furthermore, the lung tumor associated polypeptide of the invention can be used to identify synthetic chemical peptide mimetics that bind to or can function as a ligand, substrate, binding partner or the receptor of the polypeptide of the invention as effectively as does the natural polypeptide; see, e.g., Engleman, J. Clin. Invest. 99 (1997), 2284-2292. For example, folding simulations and computer redesign of structural motifs of the polypeptide of the invention can be performed using appropriate computer programs (Olszewski, Proteins 25 (1996), 286-299; Hoffman, Comput. Appl. Biosci. 11 (1995), 675-679). Computer modelling of protein folding can be used for the conformational and energetic analysis of detailed peptide and protein models (Monge, J. Mol. Biol. 247 (1995), 995-1012; Renouf, Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 376 (1995), 37-45). In particular, the appropriate programs can be used for the identification of interactive sites of the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide and its possible receptor, its ligand or other interacting proteins by computer assistant searches for complementary peptide sequences (Fassina, Immunomethods 5 (1994), 114-120. Further appropriate computer systems for the design of protein and peptides are described in the prior art, for example in Berry, Biochem. Soc. Trans. 22 (1994), 1033-1036; Wodak, Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 501 (1987), 1-13; Pabo, Biochemistry 25 (1986), 5987-5991. The results obtained from the above-described computer analysis can be used for, e.g., the preparation of peptide mimetics of the protein of the invention or fragments thereof. Such pseudopeptide analogues of the natural amino acid sequence of the protein may very efficiently mimic the parent protein (Benkirane, J. Biol. Chem. 271 (1996), 33218-33224). For example, incorporation of easily available achiral *-amino acid residues into a protein of the invention or a fragment thereof results in the substitution of amide bonds by polymethylene units of an aliphatic chain, thereby providing a convenient strategy for constructing a peptide mimetic (Banerjee, Biopolymers 39 (1996), 769-777). Superactive peptidomimetic analogues of small peptide hormones in other systems are described in the prior art (Zhang, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 224 (1996), 327-331). Appropriate peptide mimetics of the protein of the present invention can also be identified by the synthesis of peptide mimetic combinatorial libraries through successive amide alkylation and testing the resulting compounds, e.g., for their binding and immunological properties. Methods for the generation and use of peptidomimetic combinatorial libraries are described in the prior art, for example in Ostresh, Methods in Enzymology 267 (1996), 220-234 and Dorner, Bioorg. Med. Chem. 4 (1996), 709-715. Furthermore, a three-dimensional and/or crystallographic structure of the polypeptide of the invention can be used for the design of peptide mimetic inhibitors of the biological activity of the polypeptide of the invention (Rose, Biochemistry 35 (1996), 12933-12944; Rutenber, Bioorg. Med. Chem. 4 (1996), 1545-1558).

The structure-based design and synthesis of low-molecular-weight synthetic molecules that mimic the activity of the native biological polypeptide is further described in, e.g., Dowd, Nature Biotechnol. 16 (1998), 190-195; Kieber-Emmons, Current Opinion Biotechnol. 8 (1997), 435-441; Moore, Proc. West Pharmacol. Soc. 40 (1997), 115-119; Mathews, Proc. West Pharmacol. Soc. 40 (1997), 121-125; Mukhija, European J. Biochem. 254 (1998), 433-438.

It is also well known to the person skilled in the art, that it is possible to design, synthesize and evaluate mimetics of small organic compounds that, for example, can act as a substrate or ligand to the lung tumor associated polypeptide of the invention or the related polypeptide. For example, it has been described that D-glucose mimetics of hapalosin exhibited similar efficiency as hapalosin in antagonizing multidrug resistance assistance-associated protein in cytotoxicity; see Dinh, J. Med. Chem. 41 (1998), 981-987.

The nucleic acid molecule of the invention can also serve as a target for activators and inhibitors. Activators may comprise, for example, proteins that bind to the mRNA of a gene encoding a the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide, thereby stabilizing the native conformation of the mRNA and facilitating transcription and/or translation, e.g., in like manner as Tat protein acts on HIV-RNA. Furthermore, methods are described in the literature for identifying nucleic acid molecules such as an RNA fragment that mimics the structure of a defined or undefined target RNA molecule to which a compound binds inside of a cell resulting in retardation of cell growth or cell death; see, e.g., WO 98/18947 and references cited therein. These nucleic acid molecules can be used for identifying unknown compounds of pharmaceutical and/or agricultural interest, and for identifying unknown RNA targets for use in treating a disease. These methods and compositions can be used in screening for novel antibiotics, bacteriostatics, or modifications thereof or for identifying compounds useful to alter expression levels of proteins encoded by a nucleic acid molecule. Alternatively, for example, the conformational structure of the RNA fragment which mimics the binding site can be employed in rational drug design to modify known antibiotics to make them bind more avidly to the target. One such methodology is nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), which is useful to identify drug and RNA conformational structures. Still other methods are, for example, the drug design methods as described in WO 95/35367, U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,933, where the crystal structure of the RNA fragment can be deduced and computer programs are utilized to design novel binding compounds which can act as antibiotics.

Some genetic changes lead to altered protein conformational states. For example, some mutant the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptides may possess a tertiary structure that renders them far less capable of protein degradation. Restoring the normal or regulated conformation of mutated proteins is the most elegant and specific means to correct these molecular defects, although it may be difficult. Pharmacological manipulations thus may aim at restoration of wild-type conformation of the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide. Thus, the nucleic acid molecules and encoded polypeptides of the present invention may also be used to design and/or identify molecules which are capable of activating the wild-type function of a the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide or related polypeptide.

The compounds which can be tested and identified according to a method of the invention may be expression libraries, e.g., cDNA expression libraries, peptides, proteins, nucleic acids, antibodies, small organic compounds, hormones, peptidomimetics, PNAs or the like (Milner, Nature Medicine 1 (1995), 879-880; Hupp, Cell 83 (1995), 237-245; Gibbs, Cell 79 (1994), 193-198 and references cited supra). Furthermore, genes encoding a putative regulator of the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide and/or which exert their effects up- or downstream the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide may be identified using, for example, insertion mutagenesis using, for example, gene targeting vectors known in the art. Said compounds can also be functional derivatives or analogues of known inhibitors or activators. Such useful compounds can be for example transacting factors which bind to the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide or regulatory sequences of the gene encoding it. Identification of transacting factors can be carried out using standard methods in the art (see, e.g., Sambrook, supra, and Ausubel, supra). To determine whether a protein binds to the protein itself or regulatory sequences, standard native gel-shift analyses can be carried out. In order to identify a transacting factor which binds to the protein or regulatory sequence, the protein or regulatory sequence can be used as an affinity reagent in standard protein purification methods, or as a probe for screening an expression library. The identification of nucleic acid molecules which encode polypeptides which interact with the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptides described above can also be achieved, for example, as described in Scofield (Science 274 (1996), 2063-2065) by use of the so-called yeast “two-hybrid system”. In this system the polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid molecule according to the invention or a smaller part thereof is linked to the DNA-binding domain of the GAL4 transcription factor. A yeast strain expressing this fusion polypeptide and comprising a lacZ reporter gene driven by an appropriate promoter, which is recognized by the GAL4 transcription factor, is transformed with a library of cDNAs which will express plant proteins or peptides thereof fused to an activation domain. Thus, if a peptide encoded by one of the cDNAs is able to interact with the fusion peptide comprising a peptide of an inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide, the complex is able to direct expression of the reporter gene. In this way the nucleic acid molecules according to the invention and the encoded peptide can be used to identify peptides and proteins interacting with the inventive lung tumor associated protein. It is apparent to the person skilled in the art that this and similar systems may then further be exploited for the identification of inhibitors of the binding of the inventive lung tumor associated proteins.

Once the transacting factor is identified, modulation of its binding to or regulation of expression of the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide can be pursued, beginning with, for example, screening for inhibitors against the binding of the transacting factor to the protein of the present invention. Activation or repression of the inventive lung tumor associated proteins could then be achieved in animals by applying the transacting factor (or its inhibitor) or the gene encoding it, e.g. in an expression vector. In addition, if the active form of the transacting factor is a dimer, dominant-negative mutants of the transacting factor could be made in order to inhibit its activity. Furthermore, upon identification of the transacting factor, further components in the pathway leading to activation (e.g. signal transduction) or repression of a gene involved in the control of the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide then can be identified. Modulation of the activities of these components can then be pursued, in order to develop additional drugs and methods for modulating the metabolism of protein degradation in animals. Thus, the present invention also relates to the use of the two-hybrid system as defined above for the identification of the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide or activators or inhibitors of the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide.

The compounds isolated by the above methods also serve as lead compounds for the development of analogue compounds. The analogues should have a stabilized electronic configuration and molecular conformation that allows key functional groups to be presented to the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide or its possible receptor in substantially the same way as the lead compound. In particular, the analogue compounds have spatial electronic properties which are comparable to the binding region, but can be smaller molecules than the lead compound, frequently having a molecular weight below about 2 kD and preferably below about 1 kD. Identification of analogue compounds can be performed through use of techniques such as self-consistent field (SCF) analysis, configuration interaction (Cl) analysis, and normal mode dynamics analysis. Computer programs for implementing these techniques are available; e.g., Rein, Computer-Assisted Modeling of Receptor-Ligand Interactions (Alan Liss, New York, 1989). Methods for the preparation of chemical derivatives and analogues are well known to those skilled in the art and are described in, for example, Beilstein, Handbook of Organic Chemistry, Springer edition New York Inc., 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010 U.S.A. and Organic Synthesis, Wiley, New York, USA. Furthermore, said derivatives and analogues can be tested for their effects according to methods known in the art; see also supra. Furthermore, peptidomimetics and/or computer aided design of appropriate derivatives and analogues can be used, for example, according to the methods described above.

In a preferred embodiment of the above-described methods of the invention, said cell is a cell of or, obtained by a method of the invention or is comprised in the above-described transgenic non-human animal.

Once the described compound has been identified and obtained, it is preferably provided in a therapeutically acceptable form.

The present invention provides methods for detection and treatment of disorders characterized by abnormal cell proliferation, such as e.g. cancers. In one aspect the present invention provides a method for the detection of disorders characterized by abnormal cell proliferation, such as e.g. cancers based on the determination of the presence or absence and/or the level of expression of the inventive lung tumor associated gene in biological samples. In a second aspect the present invention provides a method for treatment of disorders characterized by abnormal cell proliferation, such as e.g. cancers using the inventive lung tumor associated gene products as therapeutically active agents. The invention also provides for therapeutic methods based on the modulation of the activity of the inventive lung tumor associated polypeptide. It is one aspect of the invention to provide a method for rational tumor management based on the detection of the inventive lung tumor associated gene products in patient samples and the tailoring of a therapy correlated to the detected overexpression of said gene products. Furthermore the present invention provides for a research or diagnostic test kit for performing the reactions involved in the detection of the presence or absence and/or the level of overexpression of the inventive lung tumor associated gene. Finally the present invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions applicable in the treatment of disorders according to the present invention.

The following examples are given for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention disclosed herein.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Real-Time RT-PCR Analysis of LUMA1 Expression in Tumor Samples Including Colon Carcinoma, Carcinoma of the Stomach, Small Cell Lung Cancer and Lung Adenocarcinoma

An upregulation of LUMA1 transcripts has been detected in 60% of tested lung adenocarcinomas, whereas no upregulation was found in colon carcinoma, carcinoma of the stomach and small cell lung cancer.

1.1. Theoretical Basis

Quantitative values were obtained from the threshold cycle number at which the increase in the signal associated with an exponential growth of PCR products started to be detected (using PE Biosystems analysis software), according to the manufacturer's manuals.

6.25 ng cDNA of oligo dT primed total RNA was added to each real time PCR. We quantified transcripts of the beta-actin gene (ACTB Actin, Primer Actin1—CCTAAAAGCCACCCCACTTCTC (SEQ ID NO: 28), Primer Actin2-ATGCTATCACCTCCCCTGTGTG (SEQ ID NO: 29)) encoding human actin, beta (ACTB) as the endogenous RNA control.

Final results, expressed as N-fold differences in target gene expression relative to the reference gene ACTB, termed ‘Ntarget’, were determined as follows:

N _(target)=2^((delta Ct) ^(sample) ^(−delta Ct) ^(reference gene) ⁾

where delta Ct values of the sample and reference were determined by subtracting the average Ct value of the WT1 gene from the average Ct value of the ACTB gene.

Primers for WT1 and ACTB gene were chosen with the assistance of the computer programs PRIMER (Husar program package, DKFZ Heidelberg) and Primer Express (Perkin-Elmer Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.). The following nucleotide sequences of primers for the amplification of the LUMA1 gene were used: LUMA1-A: CTCGTCAGGCGACCTTATATC (SEQ ID NO: 24) and LUMA1-B: TGTCAGTTGAACATTTTCTGCC (SEQ ID NO: 25); LUMA1-C: CTCGTCAGGCGATACTCCC (SEQ ID NO: 26) and LUMA1-D: CACCAGTCAGCTCTAAATGGG (SEQ ID NO: 27).

1.2. RNA Extraction

Total RNA was extracted from tissue specimens by using the QIAamp RNA Mini Protocol (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany).

1.3. cDNA Synthesis

1 μg total RNA was DNAse I digested for 15 min at 25° C. in a final volume of 20 μl containing 1 μl DNAse I Amp Grade (1 Unit/μl; Invitrogen) and 2 μl DNAse Reaction Buffer (10×; Invitrogen). The reaction was stopped by adding 2 μl EDTA (25 mM; Invitrogen) and incubation for 10 min at 65° C. The reverse transcription was performed 2 h at 37° C. in a final volume of 40 μl containing 4 μl 10× RT buffer, 4 μl 5 mM dNTP, 1 μl RNAsin 40 U/μl Promega), 4 μl Oligo dT Primer 0.5 μg/ml and 2 μl Omniscript 4 U/μl (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). Reverse transcriptase was inactivated by heating at 93° C. for 5 min and cooling at 4° C. for 5 min.

1.4. PCR Amplification

All PCR reactions were performed using a ABI Prism 7700 Sequence Detection System (Perkin-Elmer Applied Biosystems). PCR was performed using the SYBR® Green PCR Mix (Perkin-Elmer Applied Biosystems). The thermal cycling conditions comprised an initial denaturation step at 95° C. for 10 min and 40 cycles at 95° C. for 15 s and 60° C. for 1 min. Experiments were performed with duplicates for each data point.

As shown in FIG. 16-20, an enhanced expression of LUMA1 transcripts in lung adenocarcinomas has been detected. For amplification of the LUMA1 transcripts the following primers were used: LUMA1-A: CTCGTCAGGCGACCTTATATC (SEQ ID NO: 24) and LUMA1-B: TGTCAGTTGAACATTTTCTGCC (SEQ ID NO: 25). The PCR with primer LUMA1-A and LUMA1-B amplified the splice variant which harboured the complete exon 7, whereas the primers LUMA1-C (CTCGTCAGGCGATACTCCC, SEQ ID NO: 26) and LUMA1-D (CACCAGTCAGCTCTAAATGGG, SEQ ID NO: 27) amplified the splice variant, which represented only part of exon 7. Using these primer combinations, an upregulation of both splice variants was observed in real time PCR experiments. In FIG. 16 the real time amplification of tumor 1 and corresponding normal sample 1 is shown (primer LUMA1-A and LUMA1-B). A threshold cycle difference of three was observed whereas with the reference primers for the ACTB gene no difference was detected (not shown). This indicates a 8-fold overexpression of the LUMA1 transcript in lung adenocarcinoma of one individual. In another individual, no differences between normal and lung adenocarcinoma tissue was observed (FIG. 14). One further individual showed a 13-fold overexpression in the tumor tissue (FIG. 15). More individuals were characterized by the absence of LUMA1 transcript in normal tissue and an strong upregulation in the tumor tissue (more than 4000-fold) (FIG. 16; 17). The PCR products of the two different analysed exon 7 variants shown in FIG. 23 were obtained by the Real time PCR described above and were analyzed by gel electrophoresis.

Example 2 Cloning of Differentially Spliced LUMA1 Transcripts

Using primers specific for the LUMA1, transcript PCR was performed with random primed human cDNA derived from lung adenocarcinoma, colon carcinoma and fetal brain.

Forward primers: LUMA1-C: CTCGTCAGGCGATACTCCC; LUMA1-E: ATGGAAATCACCACTCTGAGAG; (SEQ ID NO: 30) LUMA1-F: TTGATCCAGAAAGTGTGTGAGC (SEQ ID NO: 31) Reverse primers: LUMA1-G: TGCAGTTGGCCCAGCTTAGAA; (SEQ ID NO: 32) LUMA1-H: AGTCTTTAAAAAGCGTTGCTGG (SEQ ID NO: 33)

The following primer combinations were used to amplify:

LUMA1-C+LUMA1-H; LUMA1-E+LUMA1-G; LUMA1-E+LUMA1-H; LUMA1-F+LUMA1-G; LUMA1-F+LUMA1-H

The following PCR conditions used were to amplify the differentially spliced LUMA1 transcripts:

95° C. 1 min, (95° C. 30 sec, 60° C. 1 min, 68° C. 3.5 min)-34 cycles

The TaqAdvantage polymerase (Clontech) was used.

1 μl dNTP (20 mM), 0.5 μl 50× TaqAdvantagell (Clontech), 2.5 μl 10× Buffer, 3 μl cDNA (100 ng), 1.5 μl (Primer forward, 10 μm), 1.5 μl (Primer reverse, 10 μm), 15 μl H₂O.

The PCR products were directly sequenced or first cloned into the pCR2.1 vector (Invitrogen) and then sequenced. Sequence analysis and database searches were performed with the HUSAR program package (DKFZ Heidelberg). Sequence analysis of the cloned PCR products has demonstrated an extensive splicing of the LUMA1 transcript. One transcript has been identified which was characterized by the absence of exon 3. Another transcript missed exon 3 and 4. In addition, a transcript has been cloned where exon 3, 4 and 5 was spliced out. Splicing out the exons 3 or 4 or 5 or combinations thereof do not change the reading frame and lead to internal deletions in the encoded LUMA1 protein isoforms. In contrast to these splice variants, the differential splicing at exon 7 led to a frameshift. If the complete exon 7 was present in the transcript, the open reading frame almost extended to the 3′ end of the transcript. If the first part of exon 7 was spliced out in the resulting transcript a frameshift was generated which lead to a shorter carboxy terminus of the encoded protein. Both exon 7 splice variants were shown to be upregulated in lung adenocarcinomas (FIG. 13-17; FIG. 18-19).

Example 3 Full Length Cloning of LUMA1

Full length cloning of LUMA1 (Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends)

Full length cloning was performed using SMART™ RACE cDNA Amplification Kit (Clontech) to amplify the 5′ end of LUMA1 cDNA.

PCR reaction was prepared as follows: 1 μl dNTP (10 mM), 1 μl 50× TaqAdvantagell (Clontech), 5 μl 10× Buffer, 2.5 μl cDNA, placenta (Clontech) (1 μg/μl), 5 μl Universal Primer Mix (Clontech)(10×), 1 μl Gene specific Primer, reverse (Clontech), 34.5 μl H₂O.

Universal Primer Mix: SEQ ID NO: 34 CTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGCAAGCAGTGGTATCAACGCAGAGT, (0.4 μm), SEQ ID NO: 35 CTAATACGACTCACTATAGGGC, (0.2 μm) LUMA1 Gene specific Primer, reverse: (SEQ ID NO: 36) GGAGATGGAGCTGTTTGACCTGA

Because PCR reaction failed to give a distinct band, nested PCR was performed.

5 μl of primary PCR product were diluted into 245 μl Tricine-EDTA buffer (Clontech) (10 mM Tricine-KOH (pH 8.5), 1 mM EDTA)

PCR reaction was prepared as follows: 1 μl dNTP (10 mM), 1 μl 50× TaqAdvantagell (Clontech), 5 μl 10× Buffer, 5 μl diluted primary PCR product, 1 μl Nested Universal Primer (Clontech)(10×), 1 μl nested Gene specific Primer, reverse (Clontech)(10 μm), 36 μl H₂O.

Nested Universal Primer: AAGCAGTGGTATCAACGCAGAGT, SEQ ID NO: 37 LUMA1 nested Gene specific Primer, reverse: TGTCAGTTGAACATTTTCTGCC, SEQ ID NO: 38

The following PCR conditions used were to generate full length transcripts:

(94° C. 30 sec 72° C. 3 min)-5 cycles (94° C. 30 sec, 70° C. 30 sec, 72° C. 3 min)-5 cycles (94° C. 30 sec, 68° C. 30 sec, 72° C. 3 min)-27 cycles

RACE product was detected in agarose gel electrophoresis. Bands were gel-purified using the High Pure PCR Product Purification Kit (Roche). DNA band was cut from agarose gel (1%) using an ethanol-cleaned scalpel. Agarose gel slice was placed in a tube and transferred for 2 min into liquid nitrogen. The gel slide was placed into a sterile filter microcentrifuge tube and centrifuged for 10 min at 1300 rpm. 500 μl Binding buffer was added to every 100 μl flowthrough and placed in a new sterile filter microcentrifuge tube and centrifuged for 1 min at 1300 rpm Sample was washed two times with 500 μl Washing Buffer and centrifuged for 1 min at 1300 rpm. Flowthrough was discarded. 50 μl Elution Buffer was added to the upper reservoir of the filter tube and centrifuged for 1 min at 1300 rpm. The microcentrifuge tube contained the purified DNA.

Purified DNA was cloned into the PCR-XL-TOPO vector (Invitrogen) and then sequenced. Sequence analysis and database searches were performed with the HUSAR program package (DKFZ Heidelberg). Sequence analysis of the cloned PCR products identified 12 new exons (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L) and new part of exon1 (exon M) and a 5′ extension of exon 8 (exon T).

Additional LUMA1 exons were identified with the RACE experiments. The location of LUMA1 exons are indicated in respect to the genomic clone AL359711 (VERSION AL359711.18 GI:13234940/Human DNA sequence from clone RP11-425D10 on chromosome 6, complete sequence) (Acc. No. al359711).

bp Exon A 16742-16898 Exon B 17967-18132 Exon C 22671-22809 exon is differentially spliced Exon D 28399-28552 Exon E 30422-32094 Exon F 36503-36732 Exon G 37720-37858 Exon H 39288-39408 Exon I 46143-46290 differentially spliced, present in fetal lung Exon J 51443-51552 Exon K 58808-58957 Exon L 59836-59889 Exon M Exon 1 60888-61055 Exon N Exon 2 63342-63494 Exon O Exon 3 63739(63742)-63873 alternative start of exon at bp 63742, exon is differentially spliced Exon P Exon 4 64839-64991 exon is differentially spliced Exon Q Exon 5 66427-66636 exon is differentially spliced Exon R Exon 6 70867-70987 Exon S Exon 7 75227(75279)-75354 alternative start of exon at bp 75279, both exon variants are differentially spliced, alternative start of exon leads to a frameshift, complete exon can be spliced out Exon T Exon 8 76537(77287)-77410 alternative start of exon at bp 77287, alternative start of exon leads to a frameshift art of exon leads to a frameshift

Example 4 Generation of Antibodies

LUMA1 peptides were used to produce monoclonal as well as polyclonal antibodies directed against these polypeptides. For LUMA exon 2 the following peptide has been used for immunisation immunization (C E L I G E V R T E G I D N M K D L K, SEQ ID NO: 39) to generate polyclonal antibodies. For the generation of monoclonal antibodies, peptide sequences encoded by the LUMA exon 7b (long variant) have been used (R F L K T N L K G S K I T R C, SEQ ID NO: 40).

A. Production of the Polyclonal Antibodies:

The polyclonal antibodies were purified by affinity chromatography and afterwards used for the detection of the respective polypeptides in patient samples. The procedures were performed as follows:

NZW (New Zealand White) Rabbits were immunized with 100 μg LUMA1 peptides coupled to KLH (ground immunization) in Complete Freunds Adjuvants and boosted 4 times with the same amount of protein in incomplete Freunds Adjuvants at intervals of 2 weeks.

Blood was taken one week after the 2^(nd) boost and subjected to ELISA on the immobilized Antigen. One week after the final boost animals were subjected exsanguination. After coagulation the final blood was centrifuged at 4000×g for 10 minutes. The supernatant from this step was centrifuged again at 16600×g for 15 min. The supernatant represented the raw LUMA1 antiserum.

The antiserum was purified in 2 steps. Step 1 represented a conventional Protein A Chromatography. In step 2, the Ig fraction of step 1 was purified by Affinity chromatography on the Antigen immobilized onto SEPHAROSE® (high molecular weight substance for separation by gel filtration of macromolecules). The eluate of step 2 represented the purified LUMA1 antiserum.

The purified antiserum was tested in several dilutions 1/1000- 1/1000 000 on the immobilized antigen by peptide ELISA. The specific antibodies were detected by anti Rabbit secondary reagents coupled to horseradish peroxidase (HRP) with a subsequent colorimetric reaction (e.g. TMB).

In a second approach, the purified Antiserum was evaluated by Western Blot with immobilized Antigen subsequently to SDS-PAGE and transfer onto Nitrocellulose.

In a last evaluation step, the antiserum was tested on tissue arrays by Immuno-histochemistry (IHC). In Western Blot Analysis as well as with IHC bound antibodies were visualized with anti Rabbit secondary Reagents conjugated to HRP catalysing a colorimetric reaction.

B. Monoclonal Antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies directed against the peptide sequence (R F L K T N L K G S K I T R C, SEQ ID NO: 40) encoded by the LUMA exon 7b (long variant) were generated as described in Harlow and Lane. Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, 1^(st) Edition, 1988.

Example 5 Immunohistochemical Detection of Expression of LUMA1

Sections of formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue samples of the lung were immunocytochemically stained using antibodies specific for LUMA1.

The sections were rehydrated through incubation in xylene and graded ethanol, and transferred to Aqua bidest. Antigen Retrieval was carried out with 10 mM citrate buffer (pH 6.0) Thereafter the slides were heated in a water bath for 40 min at 95° C. The slides were cooled down to RT for 20 minutes, transferred to washing buffer (PBS/0.1% TWEEN® 20 (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolauate)).

For inactivation of endogenous peroxidase the samples were incubated with 3% H2O2 for 20 min at RT and afterwards washed in PBS/0.1% TWEEN® 20 for 5 to 10 min. The slides were then incubated with the primary antibodies specific for exon 2 (FIG. 24) and exon 7 (FIG. 25, 26) respectively (2 μg/ml) (for 1 hour at RT, the slides were then rinsed with washing buffer and placed in a fresh buffer bath for 5 min.

Afterwards, the slides were incubated with the secondary antibody (goat anti rabbit (1:500) or goat anti:mouse (1:500) for 1 hour at RT. Washing was performed 3 times for 5 minutes. Slides were covered with 200 μl substrate-chromogen solution (DAB) for 10 min. Then slides were washed as before and counterstained for 2 min in a bath of haematoxylin. Residual haematoxylin was rinsed with distilled water, and specimens were mounted and coverslipped with an aqueous mounting medium.

The microscopic examination of the slides revealed that tumor cells showed a specific immunoreactivity with the monoclonal LUMA1 antibody directed against exon 7 encoded sequences. In the tumor cells, a specific staining was visible in the cytoplasm.

Immunochemical analysis of peripheral venous blood, of bone marrow and of lymphocytes by the described methods revealed no immunoreactivity for LUMA1 in samples obtained from normal control individuals. This indicates that disseminated tumour cells that are immunoreactive with LUMA1 can be identified in these samples by specific immunochemical staining with antibodies directed against LUMA1.

Summary of Immunohistochemical Analysis of Lung Tumor Tissues and Corresponding Normal Tissues Employing a Monoclonal Antibody Directed Against LUMA1 Exon 7.

14 lung tumors have been analysed for the expression of the LUMA exon 7 protein isoform. 8 tumors showed a positive staining. The corresponding normal tissues did not show a staining. In the connective tissue of some lung tumors, a staining of inflammatory cells was detected. The results show that the staining with reagents specific for LUMA1 exon 7 sequences allowed to identify tumor cells in biological samples. The results obtained at the protein level did correlate with the results from the Real time PCR. In both experiments, the LUMA1 exon 7 sequences (RNA sequences and protein sequences) were found to be specifically upregulated in tumor cells. In contrast to the exon 7 sequences, the exon 2 of LUMA did not show an upregulation neither at the RNA nor the protein level in tumor cells. This clearly indicates that only specific LUMA1 splice variants and encoded protein variants are tumor specific. 

1. A method for detecting disorders associated with abnormal cell proliferation and/or prognosis of disease course comprising: a. obtaining a sample from an individual, b. determining the levels of one or more marker molecules comprising a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1-23, and c. comparing the levels of said one or more marker molecules within said sample to the levels of said one or more marker molecules within a corresponding test sample, not affected by the disease being tested, wherein an increase in the levels of said one or more markers within said sample is indicative of said disorder or of the prognosis of the disease course.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sample is a liquid containing nucleic acids or fragments thereof, a liquid containing cells or cell debris, a tissue sample, a cell sample or a biopsy.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sample is a body fluid, blood, plasma, serum, sputum, a secretion, a cell, a tissue, or a biopsy.
 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the disease is a cell proliferative disorder, cancer or a precursory lesion.
 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the cancer is cancer of the head and the neck, cancer of the respiratory tract, cancer of the gastrointestinal tract, cancer of the skin and its appendages, cancer of the central and peripheral nervous system, cancer of the urinary system, cancer of the reproductive system, cancer of the endocrine system, cancer of the soft tissues and bone, cancer of the lymphopoietic and hematopoietic system, breast cancer, colorectal cancer or anogenital cancer.
 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the level of the marker molecules is determined using at least one probe specifically binding to the marker molecules to be detected.
 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the probe is detectably labelled.
 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the label is selected from the group consisting of a radioisotope, a bioluminescent compound, a chemiluminescent compound, a fluorescent compound, a metal chelate, biotin, digoxygenin or an enzyme.
 9. The method according to claim 6, wherein said at least one probe is a nucleic acid complementary to the marker nucleic acid.
 10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the determination comprises a nucleic acid amplification reaction.
 11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the determination is in-situ detection.
 12. The method according to claim 1, which is carried out in the course of an in vivo or in vitro molecular imaging method.
 13. The method according to claim 1, which is carried out in the course of early diagnosis of disorders, of minimal residual disease diagnosis, or of preventive screening tests.
 14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more marker molecules comprise the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 1. 15. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more marker molecules comprise the nucleic acid sequence that encodes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 2. 16. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more marker molecules comprise the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 3. 17. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more marker molecules comprise the nucleic acid sequence that encodes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 4. 18. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more marker molecules comprise the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 5. 19. The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more marker molecules comprise the nucleic acid sequence that encodes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
 6. 